Acura's RDX offers both luxury and quality

Class. Luxury. Refinement. The RDX is Acura's latest vehicle encompasses all of the trademarks of fine luxury. I drove one of the new RDX's at Bill Gatton Acura Mazda this week and I discovered what makes these vehicles so grand. For those unaware, Acura is Honda's luxury division. Thus, buying an Acura ensures that you get the Honda quality and reputation while also enjoying top-of-the-line comfort. Everything from heated seats to traction control to a theatre-quality sound system, you get it all with the RDX. Driving the RDX was very relaxing. The vehicle is smooth and extremely quiet. The road noise is almost non-existent, even on the interstate. The soft-leather touch is nothing short of exquisite. As for the driving experience, the RDX sees an upgrade in power, going from the turbo-charged 4-cylinder found in previous model years to a larger single overhead cam V6. This ups the fuel economy slightly and the result is a much more crisp driving experience. With the RDX being the smaller variant to its counterpart, the MDX, many features from the highly successful Honda CR-V platform are transferred over into the RDX. The RDX averages around 20 miles per gallon in the city, 28 highway, which is a reasonable amount considering the larger V6 newly implemented in 2013. One of the tricks the RDX uses to save fuel is cylinder de-activation. Depending on the driving circumstances, the vehicle will in fact shut down two or three cylinders. The RDX also sees a new notch added to the gearbox. The RDX moves up to a six-speed automatic gearbox, from the previously standard five. The six-speed is another trick Acura implemented to help save fuel with the larger engine, as well as to provide a more sporty driving experience. The space in the interior of the new RDX is plentiful. The rear-seat has plenty of leg room and I didn't find my head uncomfortably close to the roofline (something I have experienced in some other vehicles of this class). The touch screen is very in-depth, yet simple to use, featuring all of the standard features (and then some) of vehicle touch screens to date. The RDX, while not cheap, is a vehicle worthy of investment for those looking to surround themselves with comfort and class.